Hawthorne of Stetven, Allegedly Human Ruffian

[Dr Jackal]

HAWTHORNE

 

Look, chuckles, I'm in a pretty good mood tonight,

so I'm gonna forget what you said just now.

But if you ever talk about my family again,

I'm gonna peel your face off and nail it back on upside-down.

 

 

Background

According to Hawthorne, she was born in Stetven. Her parents died of fever when she was young, and although she recovered, it left her complexion pallid and her fingernails warped. Afterwards, she was taken in by a distant aunt and uncle who were traveling merchants, so she grew up on the road. When she came of age, she left the caravan and worked a variety of odd jobs. She's interested in this Stolen Lands thing just because it seems interesting. No other reason.

This might, of course, sound a bit unlikely. Especially the part where no healer has ever heard of a fever that would do that. Also the part where Hawthorne sometimes forgets the names of the aunt and uncle who raised her. And then there's the part where she sometimes seems to think that she's thirty-four years old instead of twenty-two. Or twenty-five. Or sometimes nineteen.

Or maybe she's just a bit forgetful.

 

 

 

Appearance

Hawthorne is a human woman, possibly. Despite her bone-white hair, she looks like perhaps in her early twenties. Her skin and eyes are both pale grey, and her fingernails are long and razor-sharp. Talons, almost.

Although she looks weak and waifish, her appearance is deceiving. Hawthorne is stronger than most farmboys, lumberjacks, and northern barbarians, and if any of them get mouthy, she's happy to prove it.

An observant person might wonder if Hawthorne is hag-born rather than fully human. But then, an observant person might also guess what Hawthorne would do to someone who suggested that she was hag-born rather than fully human, and they would probably decide to keep their opinions to themself.

 

 

Future Directions

Hawthorne is built to grab and stab. She is almost certainly going Wrestler archetype.

 

 

Edict

Have fun. Take chances. Stay free. Viciously maim anyone who suggests she might be lying about her history or ancestry.

 

 

Anathema

Turn down a challenge. Let a slight go unanswered.

 

 

Questions

1. Yes to Kingdom building rules.

2. I would like to have NPCs as stay-at-home, city management types. I don't really want GMPCs tagging along unless there's a clear need for someone's expertise for a specific task and we're essentially doing an escort mission. I don't care whether those NPCs are pregens or custom.

3. I think the Camping rules are too detailed for PbP.

 

 

Sheet link: https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/?id=2871035

Edited January 15 by Dr Jackal (see edit history)

[Dr Jackal]

@Phntm888 I believe Hawthorne is ready for review / approval of her heritage.

[Phntm888]

Heritage is fine. I did notice you haven't purchased your starting equipment, so I would suggest you do that.

I am also a little concerned about the "Viciously maim anyone who suggests she might be lying about her history or ancestry" edict. It seems like something that could cause inter-player strife. How would you play it out if another PC made the suggestion in-game?

 

[Dr Jackal]

The 'mercilessly maim' is meant to bit a bit over the top. In her previous life, Hawthorne probably did have to scar a few people, but in her previous life, violence was just how it worked for everyone. In more polite society, she's more likely to go for threats or possibly a brawl, depending on the situation.

What I'm aiming for is that she's clearly a changeling, but the denial is such blatant lies and her threshold for violence is so obviously low, that no one with half a brain is going to push it. Unless they're deliberately trying to start something. In which case, Hawthorne is happy to oblige.

I'll work on equipment. I just hate doing equipment.

EDIT: If you've ever read about Krod the Rogue, that's sort of what I was thinking of. "YOU NO SEE KROD!"

 

 

Edited January 19 by Dr Jackal (see edit history)

[Lex Samreeth]

Ah, yes. Krod. The orc who could do woodworking by glaring at wood.

[Dr Jackal]

I'm heading out for the next few days and don't have time to update my sheet with stuff. However, I did make a list.

 

 

Hawthorne's mindset is that this is colonization effort is probably going to fall apart, so she's taking the stuff that will make the Stolen Lands more livable in the long run. Adventuring supplies, useful tools, games, an instrument, and a waffle iron plus ingredients. Those 4 weeks of rations are literally all waffle ingredients.

I'd really like Hawthorne's instrument to be something like a guzheng, a.k.a. a big zither. If you've never seen one played -- it's done with claws. If you'd like to rule it's 2 or more bulk, I'll move some equipment around to accommodate it.

Example video here. (And no, I don't know what's up with that mask.)

[Phntm888]

At 64 inches long, I'm going to say that the guzheng is Bulk 2. It's basically the same length as an average human is tall. You are probably going to want a wagon or something to make it easier to transport.

You are complete otherwise.

[Lex Samreeth]

Borrus wouldn't mind having somebody who can appreciate creature comforts, so long as they'll take their responsibility for lugging and maintaining everything.

[Dr Jackal]

2 bulk works for me. I love the image of a young woman of moderate stature just hauling around a five foot instrument like it was almost nothing.
 

Hawthorne would be totally happy to join up with Borrus. Nothing like an opinionated big guy to stand behind. They either start fun fights that you can join in with, or really terrible fights that you can watch with great amusement from a safe distance.

[Dr Jackal]

I changed out Hawthorne’s Deception for Hag Lore. Not that Hawthorne has any connection to hags or anything. She’s just bad at Deception, and I had to pick something. I don’t know why I picked Hag Lore. Could have been anything, really.